See bottom for action alert from Disability Rights Washington
House Transportation Highlights:
HB 1135 - Making transportation appropriations for the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium.
PSHB 1564 - Proposed additional spending
Committee members - King County area members include Representatives Ramos (5th LD), vice chair; Berry (36th LD); Duerr (1st LD); Entenman (47th LD); Hackney (11th LD); Slatter (48th LD); Taylor (30th LD); Valdez (46th LD)
Public transportation
- $10 million for special needs transportation
- $800,000 for the first mile/last mile grant program, which supports projects that help improve peoples’ first and last mile connections with fixed route public transportation services, including buses, ferries, rail, water taxis, tribal transit, and vanpools
Multimodal transportation
$62,698,000 is provided solely for a grant program for special needs transportation provided by transit agencies and nonprofit providers of transportation. Of this amount:
- $14,297,000 is provided solely for grants to nonprofit
providers of special needs transportation. Grants for nonprofit providers must
be based on need, including the availability of other providers of service in
the area, efforts to coordinate trips among providers and riders, and the cost
effectiveness of trips provided. Fuel type may not be a factor in the grant
selection process.
- $48,401,000 is provided solely for grants to transit agencies to transport persons with special transportation needs. To receive a grant, the transit agency must, to the greatest extent practicable, have a maintenance of effort for special needs transportation that is no less than the previous year's maintenance of effort for special needs transportation.
Connecting Communities program
Established in HB 1564. This program
within the department of transportation will improve active
transportation connectivity in communities by providing equitable, safe, continuous
routes for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other nonvehicle users carrying out their
daily activities.
Senate Transportation Highlights:
SB 5165 - Making transportation appropriations for the 2021-23 fiscal biennium
Committee members - King County area members include Senators Saldana, vice chair (37th LD); Das (47th LD); Fortunato (31st LD); Nguyen (34th LD); C. Wilson (30th LD)
Public transportation
$200,000 for a first mile/last mile connections grant program. Eligible grant recipients include cities, businesses, nonprofits, and transportation network companies with first mile/last mile solution proposals.
Multimodal transportation
$72,698,000 of the multimodal transportation account—state appropriation is provided solely for a grant program for special needs transportation provided by transit agencies and nonprofit providers of transportation. Of this amount:
- $16,526,000 is provided solely for grants to
nonprofit providers of special needs transportation. Grants for nonprofit
providers must be based on need, including the availability of other providers
of service in the area, efforts to coordinate trips among providers and riders,
and the cost effectiveness of trips provided. Fuel type may not be a factor in
the grant selection process.
- $56,172,000 is provided solely for grants to transit agencies to transport persons with special transportation needs. To receive a grant, the transit agency must, to the greatest extent practicable, have a maintenance of effort for special needs transportation that is no less than the previous year's maintenance of effort for special needs transportation.
Other highlights:
Readily identified wheelchair-accessible taxicabs allowed to use HOV lane
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ACTION ALERT
Disability Rights Washington has an action alert on the state transportation budget:
CONCERN: Almost all of the transportation funding is dedicated to highways. People who don’t drice are left behind and face barriers getting around.
